Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	faith_n	true_a	1,754	5	4.4203	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80845	Fœlix scelus, querela piorum, et auscultatio divina; or, prospering prophaneness provoking holy conference, and Gods attention, in which you have the [brace] happy estate of the wicked, holy exercise of the godly, hazard and event of both. Plainly propounded in sundry sermons preached at Botolphs Algate London: and after contracted in two sermons preached in Peters Church in West-Chester, July 17. 1659. Now published to the counsell and confirmation of the godly; and check of the false surmises and reports of the wicked. / By Zachary Crofton.	Crofton, Zachary, 1625 or 6-1672.	1659 (1659)	Wing C6993; Thomason E1870_1; ESTC R209731	120,321	422

not according to this rule there is no truth in him Oh let not Christian faith be founded on Turkish reason 2. Persevere in truth and piety Heresies must come that they who are sound may be made manifest Schisme must succeed that the fixed in Christ may be found sincere these must not onely come on the the stage but stand and succeed it may be unto persecution of the Orthodox and sound as did Arrianisme in the Grecian Empire Anabaptisme in Germany they are no other then tryalls of faith and patience be it your care to cleave to truth when disowned and disregarded and continue in the Church though disordered and discouraged let not the boysterous blasts of providence remove you from your stedfastness in the faith or union of the Church Catholick I know the design of some schismaticall neighbours by courting nay some of them by creeping into your town is to paganize you as they have done other places and set up their own schismaticall assemblies and I fear your over affectionate observation of the providential rising of some from you hath been as a snare of separation from the Churh unto more then naturall relations but however Church gatherers have gathered the power treasure of these Nations to themselves forsake not you the assembling of your selves together as the manner of som is and stand out against the sinful assembling of Church gatherers The glittering glory of particular Churches of selfe-constitution that way of Corah and selfe consecration that way of Jeroboam will prove nay I may say doth prove an ignis fatuus leading into the fools paradise of high expectations but leaving men in the wilderness of confusion They that feared God in Israel followed the despised and driven out Priests to Jerusalem let it be your prayer care not to follow the flocks of Christ his pretended companions I pray you recall to mind what instructions I gave you many years since from that Text Cant. 1.7 whilst you have power prevent Congregational foxes from spoiling your vines though you cannot keep them out of close corners you may from places of concourse and command them out of your common Hall and publick places of assemblie give them no countenance whose only errand is confusion you are now a Church of Christ become not the guilded Synagogue of Satan Will not reason tell you selfe-constitution is a sedition in the Common-wealth and schisme in the Church Is authority essentiall to a civill and not to a religious Corporation What superstructure can bee built on a sinfull schismatical foundation judge ye though it flourish flie from it it cannot but fall I say bee you stable in truth steady in the union of the Church constant to Gods covenant and continuing in prayer though God carry discouragingly towards his people for God laughs the Devill to scorn when Job serveth him for nought and the Saints constancy in holiness doth witness that there is a reward to the righteous when the prospering providences of the prophane do suggest it 's in vain to serve God 3. Prize and preserve among you a sound and zealous Ministry such you have enjoyed such you may by your own advantages which you above other Towns enjoy Pastors to feed witb knowledge and understanding are Gods promises and his peoples priviledge bread and water of affliction to be imbraced before their removeall let not the generall contempt providence poureth on M●nistry deaden your affection to your Ministers but know them as over you in the Lord I am not a little grieved for your late differences with godly Ministers I wish you would seriously surveigh your souls see wether some spirit of pride passion prejudice or vain glory do not act and occasion them take heed you jar not with Ministers untill you wreak your quarrell on Ministry I wish some of you have not already proclaimed open warr I will not acquit your Ministers from their infirmities but desire you take heed to your selves in this day of discouraging providences to Gods Ministers true piety should prize prefer them so evill are the times that dis-satisfaction in a prophane Minister can scarcely pass without the censure of dis-respect to Ministry much less when fomented continued against a man who is a faithful painful and diligent and in the generall course of his life let malice say its worst a godly Minister my beloved let the office and person be distinguished and the dignity of the one will darken and cloud the infirmitie of the other and the authority of the one will awe duty denied to the weakness of the other Receive Ministers as they are indeed the messengers of the Lord of Hosts Embassadors of Jesus Christ and then despise them even in their distress if you can 4. Pursue your conference and mannage it with all prudence avoid the evills incident to it pursue the directions herein propounded you have heretofore been acquainted with them but have need to bee put in remembrance take heed of spirituall pride in conference least it prove an Audley conference that may plunge you into the precipice of Anabaptisme and other heresies my heart bleeds over those men with whom you know I have sometime past had sweet communion though they wil not now hear mee bee warned by their example Be carefull of and constant in these and other duties directed in the word what ever men say or cross providences seem to suggest Let Ecebolius whirl about with every wind of providence in the Empire untill hee proclaim the shame of his own unconstancy be you pillars of truth and Cedars of holiness standing in stormy days as indeed rooted and built up in Christ and resolved into divine revelation as your rule however disposed by providence as to your present outward condition whereunto that you may bee strengthened read these notes as helpfull and offered from the hearty affections and with the hearty prayer for Gods blessing of your Quondam Pastor yet zealously affectionate for the good of your souls ZAC CROFTON from my Study in Botolphs Algate Lon. Nov. 3. 1659. To the Reader Courteous Reader I Did many months since begin this discourse unto my own Congregation intending chiefly to instruct them in the too much neglected and abused duty of Godly conference but finding the words so connexed that I could not eonveniently come at my intended doctrine untill I had spoken to the condition which did constrain the godly their speaking one to another I divided the Text into three generall heads to be discussed and so intended them for particular instruction never to be made more publick but God who over-ruleth mens purposes hath otherwayes disposed In June last I being called to preach at the morning exercise in Magdalen Milk-street Church tooke some of these notes as next hand and did very briefly discuss the prospero●s providences which do attend the prophane Such approbation it met with from many godly hearers that I was pursued with great importunity to

publish the same yet I resisted and resolved they sh●uld never see the light in July following my D●mestick affairs did c●ll me down unto the since unhappy County of Chester in the City whereof I was by many friendly obligations and intreaties eng●ged to preach one whole Lords day and did discourse this same subject as most fresh in memory because the very same on my thoughts in my ordinary course at home what advantage any that are in that City godly and zealous for religion have hence reaped they best know what occasion they have to improve these instructions we must shut our eyes if we wil not see shortly after my thus preaching did break out the late unhappy insurrection and did something retard my return home I being absenct in such a juncture of time was by malice to which I have been no little exposed reported as eng●ged in the design and highly noysed to have preached before the body late in Arms in Westchester City And this report was carried with that height of impudence that it gained credit among friends and foes affrighted my poor family with proud threats exposed me to troublsome attendance on the late Committee for the Militia and Councill of State before the last of whom a member of themselves offered to produce a Leivetenant who heard mee preach and would on oath depose it was so and so circumstanced as envy did desire but when I demanded his appearance and testimony and could not obtain it I was brought under a promise of printing the sermons I did preach at Westchester And thus the providence of God hath constrained them from me I hope for good It is very probable the matter and season may expose the preaching and publishing these notes unto the censure of the Committee for discretion which if it do let mee bee rather blamed for indiscreet discovery of Gods mind then unfaithfull silence and dissembling divine truth darkning precepts by providences the sin of too many Prophets in our age and Nation yet true prudence speaks words pertinent to present providences wise men must oppose Gods word to mens wickedness and give counsell squared to condition nor should danger divert or dismay them Isaiah will cry aloud to tell Judah of her sin though for it he fall under the saw And Jeremiah will declare Gods mind though it cast him into the dungeon Michaiah must needs h●ve played the fool if he had followed providence to the flattery of Ahab as did all the other Prophets However evill times of hatred against him who rebuketh in the Gate and abhorrency of him that speaketh uprightly may make the prudent not bound by office to keep silence It must not do so to Gods Ministers whose office is to witness for God and piety when prospering prophaneness proclaimeth God to be as the wicked and that 't is in vain to serve God It is a mans prudence to do with vigor the duty of his place against all opposition shall the providences of God bee made the apologie of sin and so the stumbling block of the Saints and the Ministers of God not make known the method and order of them and the pleasure of the Lord that men cleave to his covenant though they be killed all the day long and walk with him in worst times that so the wicked may be convinced and the weak be strengthened the times of Gods silence are the times of his Ministers speaking when judgement is reprieved the malefactor must be reproved I could heartily wish guilt on mens consciences did not groundlesly charge indiscretion on Gods Ministers and impertinency on Gods Word had not our eyes seen treason rebellion regicide perfidie perjury pride hypocrisie and violence break out into sad and sinfull revolutions to the utter subversion of foundations violation of Laws invasion of interests destruction of liberties trampling on truth divastation of the Church blasphemy of God Christ and his Ordinances contempt of Gospell-Ministry letting loose the Devill by a boundless toleration and unparalleld wickedness and unspeakable confusion in Church and State and that against all declarations protestations imprecations solemne vows and Covenants oaths appeales to God and men even of all kind of civill or religious bonds and had not our ears heard these boastings of properity and succe sfull providences as undeniable demonstration of Gods good liking and approbation nay of Gods very appointment and designation of these horrid impieties as the good old cause of his sons kingdom and the proper work of his Saints conducing much to his glory blasphemously pleading providence against precepts provoking themselves to pursue and persist in their own lusts directly contrary to Gods Law and proudly censuring the poor holy humble upright men of God as ignorant in sensible of Gods hand proud obstinate Resisting providence peevish prophane disowning the very hand disposing such prosperity to the prophane and onely because they subscribe not to and go not along with their sinfull though successefull enterprises and consent not to pluck the fift command out of the decalogue to fling Gods word behind thei back and dance after providence into Jeroboam like changes in Church and State I say courteous reader had not our eyes seen and our ears heard this sad abuse of providence and mens conscience grown tickle and tender by reason of guilt a discou se of providence might have passed without the least charge of violence discontent peevishnesse or indiscretion but proper plaisters must be applied though the wounded patient brand the Chirurgion with Rashnesse and cruelty in provoking pain by searching and suitable applications Chrisostom ceased not Reprove drunkennesse for all the frettings of a drunken people untill they ceased to be drunk nor was Jehoiadah the Priest diverted from his just enterprice and duty by Athalia the usurper her onterie of Treason Treason Yet give me leave to tell thee that providence did suite the time to the Text I did not suite the Text to the time I had begun and made some progresse in this discourse before the late return of the republck and its successe against the disowners of it so that my choice is not so much to be blamed as Gods wisdom in directing my thoughts to be acknowledged Reader what ever fault may be charged on me I shall submissely bear knowing I am a man and have managed the discourse like a man of much weaknesse yet the matter I will averre is the minde of God meet for the Saints meditation and in our day most needfull to be studied Thou hast them in a plain dresse as they were preached and are most proper for thy capacitie and had the Authour enjoyed his minde thou hadst had them much sooner thou now hast them read with diligence and due consideration and that thou mayest profit by them shall be the constant prayer of ZAC CROF Foelix Scelus Querela Piorum Prospering Prophanenesse provoking holy conference and Gods attention First preached at Botolphs Algate Lond. and

falsly in thy Covenant Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way Psal 44.17 18. Let profane men practise their evill purposes and prosper in their evill practises and plead providence providence their blasphemie may afflict us but their plea carrieth no perswasion or force to him that feareth God obeyeth the voice of his servants one it is written is of more weight to a gracious soul then hundreds of victories and a series of prosperity for indeed to determine divine allowance by good or bad successe of any cause or approve or disapprove any course of life by it's externall providence that attend it is to deny and determine in direct contradiction not onely to the experiences of the Church but expressions and maxims of Scripture which are multiplyed to our establishment against the force of this very temptation as Blessed are the poor theirs is the Kingdome of God Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for they shall be fed blessed are they that weep for they shall laugh and blessed are they that men shall hate separate from their company and reproach and cast out their name for evill for the Son of mans sake such were the true Prophets great is their reward but on the contrary Wo is unto the rich the full and those of whom all men speak well Luk. 6. For such were the false Prophets of old and again we must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Acts 14.22 And the poor of this World Rich in faith God hath chosen And the like all which are of no use if the current of common providence must be the ground of conviction or guide of conversation nay our Saviour doth so sarr discountenance appeals to and approbation of any cause by providence and successe that he will not work miracles to convert souls or enforce faith When the Jewish Sectaries call for a sign and resolve their conversion in some pompous outward and glorious shew the Lord denieth a sign and referreth to the sign of Jonah dictated in holy writ nay and cautioneth all men to take heed of signs wonders and lying miracles which are the arguments of Antichrist to out-face the Scripture Mat. 24.24 2 Thes 1.9 John Huss out of Isiidore Chrisostome Gregorie and Augustine hath long since rendered the Reason why miracles have ceased in the Church and are onely found in favour of the false Prophet and Antichrist viz. because the Church of Christ must be persecuted and seem abject vile and forsaken and must overcome by confessi●n of the truth by holinesse and shining in good works by love and patience and not by power but Antichrist must sway all and have full power to persecute and Hypocrites who look after Temporals more then Eternalls must be discovered and the true Saints tryed and Carn●lists bee justly punished with that snare of specious signes and convincing providences So that if we will not throw away our Bibles disown Scripture and make divine precep●s and prescriptions of none effect let us never dare to appeal to providence whi●h may fall on the side of the most prophane let us never say this course is pleasi●g to God because pleasing to the men that devise and pursue it this God al oweth because he prospereth but this he disalloweth because thereto he disappeareth these are Saints their prayers succeed but these are sinners Lam 3.44 for God wrappeth himself as in a cloud and shutteth out their prayers for precept not providence is the Rule prescribed by the Lord and by it we see The proud are called Happy c. motive 2 Providence made a Rule doth expose us to uncertainty of perswasion and unconstan●y in profession of Religion Faith ought to be fixed and constancie in it ●is the honour of any profession 2 Tim. 1.13 1 Cor. 15.58 holding fast the form of sound words and being stedfast and unmoveable alway abounding in the worke of the Lord is the dutie and due property of a true beleever but forsaking the right rule is the way to constant wandring declining the standard of truth doth expose us to inevitable fluctuation and deviation The admirers of the Moon and observers of the wheels motion must needs be subject unto Changes variety of providences must needs ingender variety of perswasions by the orders thereof such as see by no light or sail by no compasse but by success must needs like the waves of the Sea be tumbled and tossed to and fro The returns of this wheel runs men on most palpable and shame full contradictions for if success be the line of decision the same cause is to day good because prosperous to morrow evill because adverse to day godliness is gain and to morrow gain shal be Godliness sometime the Righteous are in honour but anon the Honourable are the Righteous how soon do such men change their Tune who conclude providence to bee Gods voice Was it not this that led men in all ages unto sinful shameful unconstancy 2 Sam. 7 8 19.19 20 the same Shimei that to day curseth David because adverse is the first that to morrow cometh down and meeteth him with blessing 1 King 18.40 because returned with victory They that in Ahab rage fall down before Baal in Elijahs successfull resolution pull down Baall and destroy his Priests Providence engageth the same mouth to sing Hosannah to him that commeth in the name of the Lord That to morrow crieth Crucifie him Crucifie him such as conform their Religion to outward providence shape a coat for the Moon and like Baldwinus of whom Beza speaks will have Religionem Ephemeram an every days Religion ab his ad istos abillis ad hos leviter iens aut transiens easily turning hither or thither as the Apostle Peter contending against anon constraining again to the ceremonies of the Jews like the Samaritans Gal. 2.14 brethren to Israel when favoured but strangers and foes when frowned on by Alexander Like Eccebolius a Christian in time of Constantinus an Infidell and Pagan in the time of Julian the Apostate and again a Christian on his death changing his Religion with the Emperour like the Melchites a kind of mongrill Christians who would be of the Kings Religion as those in 2 Kin. 17. Who feared the Lord and served other gods feared the Lord that plagued them and served other gods which pleased the King so that luke warmness and fluctuation of Spirit and change is the result of making outward present providences the reason of our assent and dissent to any cause or course Providence is a brave principle of Skepticisme and a bar to Martyrdom Our age is indeed an age of providences to be admired and Skepticisme to be abominated They make indeed few and very few Martyrs sometimes with hands lifted up to heaven we vow and Covenant to God and presently cast off our Covenant as an old Almanack out of date One while we have zeal against

of piety against the pride of Saul Paul whom bonds and imprisonment did attend in every place Origen the pillar of truth against Pagan philosophy Athanasius that hammer of the Arrian Haerisie and Luther that trumpet of the World and monster of men for his opposition of Pope Empire and Devill These and such like are monuments of divine support preservation and favour because patterns of true courage zeal and piety Antipas must not onely have an honourable mention but be made an honour to the Church at Pergamus because Gods faithfull Martyr slain where Satan dwelleth and it shall be the onely note of Renown to the Church her self to dwell where Satans seat is and yet to hold fast Rev 2.13 sinfull compliance shamefull connivance and odious Toleration of false Religions is the blemish whilst zealous constant adhoerence to God and couragious opposition of impostors is the duty only dignity of seven famous the Churches of Asia this is the especiall service enjoyned and expected and when it is done cannot but bee esteemed God loves to see our garments clean and unspotted insoyling and dirty times hee must lend an eare to that one tongue that speaks for him and his truth against common talk and cause a book of Remembrance to bee written for them that repine at the prosperity of prophaneness and read Lectures of patient pursuit of piety when it seemes to be in vain to serve God and make them Jewells in esteem who were soe● in efficacie and operation sparkling in adverse time and spare them in the day of his visitation who spare not them selvs nor are spared by others in the hour of temptation It adds no smal Emphasis to prayer when we can appeal to God for thy sake we are killed all the day long and are counted as sheep for the slaughter All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee or dealt falsly in thy covenant But so much for the second Reason The Godly and their holy exercises in evill times do 3d Reason and cannot but meet with speciall acceptance because God is specially engaged to reward them with the pure the Lord cannot but be pure and righteous towards the righteous though he doth not always discover it unto humane sense yet he is so i● himself and his peoples faith his love once fixed is never re●●ved but yet it is not ever displayed or discerned It is consistent with the sharpest of chastisements though seldom so conceived In justice wisedom and faithfulness he many times hides his face from his dearest David and giveth the beloved of his soul to the oppressor suffereth proud men to prevail and trample on his truth and people succeed in such horrid impiety as may make the wicked to say God regardeth not the righteous and it is in vain to serve him nay it may stumble the Godly themselves and make them almost slip and say in vain have I washed my hands in innocency and God hath forgotten to be gracious but yet whilst God standeth at this distance from his people and seemeth so much to own and countenance the wicked God is bound to spaek with reverence in unviolable bonds to respect the righteous and openly even in the sight of men to give publick testimony of such special respect Hereunto he is engaged not onely by the common course of piety but by speciall engagements and peculiar obligations which arise partly from himself and partly from his people First God engaged by himself God is under speciall engagements of speciall respect to them that are Godly in evil times and that from himself and they are two the 1. Vindication of his name and properties 2. Verifying his word and promises The first engagement that lyeth on God to shew respect to the godly in times of prospering prophanenesse is the Vindiction of his name and properties So long as the wicked prosper and the godly are oppressed Gods properties are clowded and his name contemned but after returne of the godly the cloud is dispelled and contempt discharged the favour of God is extended to the righteous of out his feare of their enemies For God is jealous of his name and glory and will not suffer the honour thereof to be given to another Gods chastisement of his children is many times checked by the pride of the rod which riseth up against himself whilest it rageth against his people the prosperity of the prophane and perplexitly of the pious puts God on the Vindication of his power and justice holinesse and truth All which are arraigned at the Barre of humane fancy and there condemned some times and that often the wicked charge God with positive impotencie but ever attribute to themselves the acts of his power in their owne prosperi●y his people ●fflictions they often say because God was not able to bring them into the Land of which he sware therefore he slew them Numbers 14 16. And what is the Lord that he should deliver out of my hands Is he able to do more then the Gods of Hamath and Arphad and the Gods of Sepharvaim dumbe Idols that had no power saith railing Rabshakeh Isa 36.18 And so tauntingly insult over the faith of the godly with a Where is your God and he trusted in God let him save him if he will have him Christ cannot be crucified but his Divine power must needs be denyed with a now he cannot come down from the Crosse and save himself who would build the temple in three dayes these are the wild conclusions of such as know he had saved himself from their rage untill the appointed time and when they do not positively speak Gods impotency they attribut to themselves the ●ct of his power and crie our hand is high and the Lord hath not done all ●his D ut 32 27. And by the str●n●th of my h nd have I done it and by my wi●d m for I am prudent Isa 10.14 So that there is a nec●ssi●y laid upon God to restraine his wrath towards his provoking children least the enemy behave himself proudly and say my hand hath done it and God must r●scue Is●●●ll fro● Assyria the rod of his anger because The Rod shaketh it self ●gainst him that lifteth it up So that a more pregnant argument cannot ●e urged in praier for Gods appearance then the necessity of making known his power unto the end of the Earth Nor is God more engaged to vindicate his power then his Justice and holinesse how often have the heathen concluded by the prosperity of the prophane that either there is no God or he is not a Righteous God but that he loveth impiety as Dionisius concluded the Gods take delight in Sacriledge but we need not traverse prophane whilst sacred story ab●unds with such sinfull instances how do the most wicked oppresse the righteous cry God doth not see God hath forgotten it and hideth his face hee will not see nor doth he regard it Psalme

10.11 It is in vaine to serve God and no Profit to wa●ke mournfully all the day for we cal the proud happy c. And so that God is taxed to be an hard master and holinesse is j●dged vanity nay the very godly themselves ●re ready to condemne the generation of the just to be a company of fooles that do in vaine wash their hands and cleanse their hearts because they are afflicted all the day long They sometimes rash y conclude God hath forgotte n to be gratious and so lay injustice to Gods charge nay the pride of the prophane carrieth to conclude because of Gods silence th●t he is all together such an one as themselves an a bettor and approver of their prophanenesse and therefore do begin their impious designs with praier to him return their successe in sin with solemn pr●ises to him can a God of jealousie heart his blasphemy not remoue its cause and set the iniquity of the wicked before their eyes and by making the godly see that the prospering prophane men stand but in slippery places that so they may conclude truly God is good to the righteous and by rescuing the just from the power of the oppressor make all the world proclaime verily there is a reward for the righteous verily there is a God who judgeth the earth Psalm 58.11 Nor is God more necesstated to manifest his favour to the godly to vindicate his justice and holinesse then many other of his properties and the righteous course of his providence in directing all things to the good of them that fear him which I must not stand to explain but passe unto one property more and that is his truth faithfulnesse And this leads us to the second speciall engagement which is from himself laid on God to manifest respect to those that are godly in evill times viz. Verifiying his word and promises the Lord is just in all his works and true in all his sayings His word is establ shed for ever no I●t● of it must fall to the ground many are the gratious promises God hath made to the righteou● and the de●ay of their accomplishment makes them many times the derision of the wicked who blasphemously demand Where is the promise of his coming And so mock the Prophets of the Lord and therefore though the vision tarry for an appo●n●ed time yet it shall come it shall not ●arry though the children of God many times doubt a●d their enemies deny the truth of what is spoken concerning Israell yet all must be accomplished that God may be proclaimed faithfull and true God hath said it and shall he not make it good he hath spoken it and shall hee not accomplish it Shall be the reason why no inchantments can prevaile against Jacob Wee see then however the wicked prosper and the godly suffer for a season Yet their labour cannot be in vaine they must come into God's thoughts and be honoured amongst men Who are faithfull to him in evill times And the very height of the wicked helpes forward the salvation of the just for Gods properties must bee vindicated God's word must bee verified and that is the first p●rt of the reason but secondl● God is under a speciall engagement to shew speciall respect unto the godly and their holy exercises in tim●s of prospering prophanenesse and that in respect of the godly themselves and that to Prevent the danger of sin Plead the cause of the just The first engagement laid on God in respect of the Righteous is to prevent the danger of sin the prosperity of the wicked is the saddest stumbling stone that can lye in the way of the Godly on this they have done and many times do fall and fearfully wound themselves continuall sorrow on the godly and successe to the prophane will make the very best of men ready to shake hands with piety and strikes hands with the wicked but God is faithfull and will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able and therefore will not suffer the Rod of the wicked to lye always on the lot of the Righteous least they put forth their hands to do wickedly Psal 125. ● The second engagement on God is To vindicate the Righteous cause of his people The time of crosse providences is the time of the proud censures of the profane when God seems not to Regard the wicked are subject to Reproach the godly if Job be in adversity the sting of it shall be his friends false accusations of hypocrisie and if David be driven from Jerusalem b● his son Absolon he shal be cursed by Shimei and called a man of Beliall and a man of blood and a traitor to his Master Saul If a Viper be on Pauls hand he shall bee determined a murderer but when God ariseth and delivereth the Righteous and setteth him in saf●ty from him that puffeth at him then shall the tune be changed if God return the captivity of Job his censorious fr●ends shall be the first that come to comfort him and if David return in peace Shimei shall be the first that meeteth him with confession of his wicked curs●ng if Paul escape the venom● of the Viper then h● shal be called a God For mens censures are as changable as their condition the Resurrection of name and estate goeth together and ther●fore it is that Gods appearance to the rescue of the Righteous from the proud is said to be a pleading their cause the godly under the clam●urs of the wicked commit their Righteous cause to God silently bear all reproaches and wait for Gods righteous judgment and therefo●e God is engaged to restore their estate and cause their Righteousnesse to break forth as the sun at noon-day so that if we well w●igh the Specialty of Relation Gods people stand in unto him the speciall service they do for him in the time of prospering prophanesse and the speciall engagements which lye on God we must needs see that there si great reason for the speciall respect he sheweth them for it is a just thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled peace with him 27 Thes 1.6 7. I now passe then to the application of this doctrine and shall onely improve it unto two uses viz. To 1. Check and abate the insolencies of the wicked 2. Cheer and animate the discharges of the Righteous Is it so as certaainly so it is that the godly and their holy exercises in times of prospering prophaness do meet with such speciall acceptance from the Lord of hosts let this then check and abate the insolencies of the wicked the ungodly cannot prosper but they are proud nor the Children of God be chastised but they are condemned by the wicked the Proud cannot be called happy nor they that work wickednesse be delivered c. But they blaspheme God and Religion and insult over and reproach the Righteous God cannot a little frown on his people but